$9 Million Awarded To Family Judgment Ordered Against Inmate For Sexually Abusing Children

A Superior Court judge has ordered a federal prison inmate who once admitted molesting 1,000 children to pay a Spokane family of four $9 million for sexually abusing two children.

They’ll probably never receive a dime.

Judge Ellen Clark late Friday ordered Gregory L. McCrea to pay $9 million to the family of Cameron Smith and Robyn Keen-Smith.

Clark ordered McCrea to pay $3 million each to the Smiths’ son and daughter, and $1.5 million to each of the parents.

McCrea, 56, is serving concurrent federal and state prison terms in a Georgia prison. He received a 26-year sentence in October 1999. He pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to 10 illegal firearms counts and 11 child pornography charges.

In June 1999, McCrea pleaded guilty in Spokane County Superior Court to a dozen state charges, including 11 counts of child rape. The plea bargains allowed him to serve his concurrent sentences in a federal penitentiary instead of state prison.

Authorities believed he would be in greater jeopardy of attacks by other inmates in the state penitentiary.

Smith family attorney Bevan Maxey said Tuesday his clients knew they’d probably never receive any money from McCrea. But that’s not why they filed the civil complaint against him.

“The criminal case was brought on by the state, but the decision to pursue civilly gave them a sense of closure,” Maxey said. “It was important for their peace of mind to take that step.”

McCrea, whom children called “Papa Smurf,” often volunteered to baby-sit for neighbors and friends.

Maxey said McCrea was a family friend of the Smiths, who had known him a few years.

He was arrested in May 1998 after the parents of a 6-year-old girl contacted Spokane police. They told investigators that McCrea molested their daughter after taking her to McDonald’s.

His arrest led investigators to search his former home at 1401 E. Bridgeport and two railroad boxcars at 512 N. Perry that he had converted to storage facilities.

In his home, investigators found hundreds of videos and computer files showing him involved in sex acts with children.

Spokane attorney John Clark, who is married to Judge Clark, also represents two of McCrea’s victims.

John Clark said such complaints are often pursued to ensure whatever assets a defendant may have are awarded to their victims.

“Financially they don’t mean much; you can paper your wall with them,” John Clark said, adding that he had a client who was awarded a $2 million default judgment a few years ago and received nothing from it.

Still, the awarding of a $9 million judgment in Spokane County is rare, according to many attorneys.

“We asked the judge for $12 million,” said Donovan Walker, who also worked the case with Maxey, Diane Walker and Chris Bajalcaliev. “She essentially gave us what we were asking for.”

Maxey said McCrea may have assets that could be used to pay off the first of many judgments that could come against him. At least two other complaints for damages have been filed against McCrea based on the sexual assault convictions.

The complaint filed by John Clark accuses McCrea of drugging two minors, identified only as John and Jane Doe, and molesting them while they were unconscious. He was convicted of those crimes.

Cameron Smith and Robyn KeenSmith filed their civil complaint on March 5, 1999, seeking damages for assault, battery, outrage, invasion of privacy, alienation of child’s affections and wrongful interference in a parent-child relationship.

McCrea once had an arsenal of weapons that could have been sold to pay his victims, John Clark said.

But much of McCrea’s weapons cache was illegal and eventually seized by the federal government. John Clark said he doesn’t know the whereabouts of any of the weapons, legal or illegal.

“It’s a shame because everybody was hoping the guns would be available for sale. That money could have been used to help the victims in their counseling,” John Clark said.

This sidebar appeared with the story: DECISION Why sue?

A judge on Friday ruled that Gregory McCrea, shown at left during his 1999 sentencing, must pay $9 million to a family for sexually abusing two children.

Attorney Bevan Maxey said his clients realize they will probably not see any money:

“The decision to pursue civilly gave them (the Smith family) a sense of closure. It was important for their peace of mind to take that step.”